Green's voice rang out with a cold declaration of victory.

"You little girl… you will forever be nothing more than a failure."

Her eyes were icy as she watched flames, lightning, and frost blend into a raging storm of destruction, surging toward the motionless Blue. In Green's mind, that girl would soon be erased without leaving the slightest trace.

"Goodbye, little brat! In your next life, just stay obediently in the countryside where you belong. Stop reaching for things that were never yours."

With the faintest curl of her lips, Green turned her back, ready to leave without hesitation. She had once been shaken by Moltres's Burn Up nearly striking Logan, but killing a rival? That was nothing worth dwelling on.

Yet in the very next instant, her expression froze.

Green snapped her head around just in time to see it—just before the elemental storm engulfed Blue, a solid barrier erupted to life, completely severing the raging fusion of Zapdos's lightning, Moltres's flames, and Articuno's icy wind!

The unleashed energy slammed into the office floor and walls of Silph Co., shattering them into rubble. Cold wind roared into the skyscraper, whipping Green's long hair about. Her pupils shrank as she whispered in disbelief:

"…Barrier?!"

As a master of psychic powers, how could she not recognize the technique?

When the smoke cleared, Green found herself staring at a figure radiating limitless psychic power. Her heart sank.

"…Mewtwo?! When did that guy slip Mewtwo's Poké Ball onto you?!"

Her voice shook with fury and shock, but there was no reply.

Mewtwo calmly cradled the unconscious Blue, offered Green the faintest mocking smile… and vanished.

Only after Mewtwo was gone did Green's pounding heart finally settle. Biting her lip, arms crossed, she stared at the ruined floor beneath her feet and muttered:

"So that's it… this was your backup plan, Logan. No matter which one of us won, neither of us was ever truly in danger of dying."

She gave a short, sharp laugh. The tone was strange—neither entirely angry nor amused. After all, Logan's insurance protected her too. If by some miracle Blue had defeated her, Mewtwo would have appeared to ensure Green's survival as well.

"Hmph. Very well. Come, Legendary Birds! Our battle has only just begun!"

Green leapt onto the back of the three fused Legendary Birds. Their overlapping cries split the air as they unleashed a destructive beam that blew apart a wall, soaring into the open sky.

…

Meanwhile, in the office of Silph Co.'s president, Logan and Giovanni exchanged thin, knowing smiles.

Then, in a flash, they both moved.

Giovanni lunged forward, his hand reaching for the Poké Balls scattered on the ground. But Logan did the opposite—he leaned lazily back against the sofa, one hand lifting slightly. Under Giovanni's stunned gaze, Logan's four Poké Balls floated into the air and shot neatly into his palm.

What's the matter, boss? Shocked? Guess what—your boy here knows the Force!

With a savage grin, Logan's thoughts were clear: Let's see you match this, Giovanni. No matter how fast you are, you'll never beat my Force.

He prepared to unleash his Pokémon in a decisive strike—

But Giovanni's expression hadn't changed. His smug smile remained, and unease jolted through Logan's chest. He spun instinctively and shouted:

"Catch it, Garchomp!"

Something massive was spinning toward his back at terrifying speed. In a blur, Logan released his Garchomp just in time.

"BOOM!"

The skyscraper's outer wall shredded apart in a screech of metal and concrete. A Golem, curled into a ball like a giant buzzsaw, came hurtling through the opening.

"WHAM!"

Garchomp caught the Golem mid-flight, its claws digging in, but the violent spin still drove the dragon back, scraping across the floor. Though Garchomp held firm, the attack had left it wounded.

"Coward! You dared use an empty Poké Ball as a decoy for a sneak attack!" Logan snarled.

He had never expected Giovanni to be so devious. The boss had planted Golem in a nearby skyscraper ahead of time, ready to launch the ambush across the gap at the perfect moment.

"This is called strategy, boy! All's fair in battle. You cheated too, didn't you?" Giovanni roared with laughter.

From his coat, Giovanni pulled out another Poké Ball. Logan's heart sank as he realized the truth. All six of the balls Giovanni had tossed on the floor were empty. Every one of them had been bait.

Pinned by Golem on one side, Garchomp was unable to break free in time. If Giovanni pressed the attack now, Logan would be crushed between enemies.

"Your reflexes are good, but this is as far as you go!" Giovanni's grin was vicious. Had Logan reacted a second slower, he'd already be dead.

But just as Giovanni hurled out his second Pokémon, his body stiffened. His eyes widened in shock, fury flashing as he spun around.

"Rhydon—defend me!"

The wall behind him burst open, a massive psychic spoon descending like a guillotine. Rhydon appeared just in time, taking the blow full-force.

"CRUNCH!"

The spoon dented Rhydon's armor hide, tougher than molten rock itself.

"You underhanded brat! Not only cheating, but ambushing too?!" Giovanni spat, cold sweat running down his face. If he hadn't released Rhydon, Mewtwo's strike might have crippled or even killed his chosen Pokémon.

But hadn't he seen Logan throw out the Master Ball already?

Wait… no. That was the empty Master Ball Giovanni himself had given him!

Realization hit him like a thunderclap. He'd been tricked with his own gift. The Master Ball looked identical—there was no way to tell which one was real.

"Right back at you!" Logan's voice drifted through the shattered window.

Giovanni whirled to see Garchomp hovering outside like a fighter jet, its wings slicing the wind. Logan stood tall on its back, arm raised high.

"Hyper Beam!"

"FWOOOSH!"

A colossal beam of energy lanced out, carving clean through the skyscraper's rooftop. Like a blade of light, the attack sheared off the top floors of Silph Co., sending molten debris and steel raining five hundred meters down to the city below.

The skyscraper groaned, its frame trembling as the severed rooftop collapsed in a thunderous crash, leaving only a scorched, flat edge smoking in the wind.

"Tch. He dodged."

Logan narrowed his eyes. In the ruined office, there was only a gaping hole. Before Hyper Beam had struck, Giovanni had burrowed away with Dig.

Logan clenched his fists tighter. The building was over a hundred floors tall—Giovanni could be hiding anywhere.

Still, one thing was clear: if either of them had fought with "honor," trusting in a fair duel, the other would already be dead.

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T/N:

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